What to Do With Your Immersion Blender

Did you know that an immersion blender, although quite inexpensive compared to other kitchen tools, is extremely useful in many different recipes. For a numerous recipes it is even a preferred option over the regular countertop blender since it makes things so much simpler and faster. One such example is in the making of soup where you will have to wait for the cooked ingredients to cool down before pureeing them in the blender jug. With an immersion blender you can puree hot ingredients in the pot where they are being cooked without any wait or transfer of the contents. For extracting the most benefit out of your immersion blender, you should first be aware of all the different ways in which you can put it to use. Here are some of the jobs I use my immersion blender for and the reason why I hold it dear:

Soup:

Making fresh homemade soups is the main reason why I bought my immersion blender in the first place. Back then I did not know the numerous ways in which I could use it. All kinds of vegetable soups are so simple if you have an immersion blender as, I mentioned earlier, that you will be making it all through the winter season.

Tomato Sauce:

Your immersion blender is the best tool for making all kinds of sauces but the classic tomato sauce is my favorite. You will simply need to cook the tomatoes with the desired seasonings until they are soft and then immerse the hand blender in the pot to puree everything into a thick, smooth paste. You can use it as pizza sauce or mix it with pasta along with some meatballs for a quick, delicious dinner.

Salsa:

As are all of the other immersion blender recipes, this one is also very simple. You just have to put the ingredients into a tall pitcher and blend them with the hand blender. If you want a chunkier consistency, be careful to stop blending at the right instant when you achieve the desired texture. I like to add onions, cilantro, tomatoes, garlic, salt, pepper and lemon juice to my salsa but you can customize the recipe according to the combination of ingredients you love the most.

Pancake Batter:

Although mixing ingredients to make pancake batter might seem simple using a fork of a whisk, I like to do the job using my hand blender since it incorporates everything so much more nicely and evenly. You will never find lumps of flour in your pancake or waffle batter when you bring it together using a hand blender.

Smoothies:

Although I must admit an immersion blender is not the best candidate for the job but in the absence of a high-powered blender, it will do the job almost as good. The only problem is that you will not be able to add ice or frozen ingredients when making smoothies with an immersion blender. Besides your favorite fruits, add sufficient liquid in the form of water, milk or juice for the blender to blend everything smoothly and easily.

Mayonnaise:

If you have never made mayonnaise at home before, you will be surprised how simple it is to make with 3 of the most basic ingredients that are almost always available in every kitchen. All that you need are some eggs, salt, oil and of course your immersion blender! Add salt and yolks from 2 eggs to a tall pitcher and blend it just enough to break the yolks. Add a little oil at a time while blending and wait for every batch of oil to be fully incorporated before adding more. Stop blending when you feel that the mayonnaise is the right texture for your taste.

These are only some of the recipes I love making with my immersion blender. The list of all the things that an immersion blender can do does not end here at all. Once you start using it, you will find out just how valuable it is!